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Instructor: Prof. Martin A. Connaughton
Office: 116 Dunning
Phone: Ext. 7727
e-mail: martin.connaughton@washcoll.edu
Office hours: Tue. 1:30-3:30 and by appointment or drop-in.
Communication:
Class and individual communications will be sent via Blitzmail and students are expected to check Blitzmail daily. I am easier to reach by Blitzmail than by phone.
Lecture: MWF 11:30 - 12:30, CAC computing classroom (3rd floor)
Textbook:
Mark Ridley, "Evolution"
Web page:
www.connaughton.washcoll.edu - is my home page, click on BIO 415: Evolutionary Biology to go to the course home page. The syllabus will be posted on the web and updated as necessary. I will also post the text of the lectures and the PowerPoint presentations from each lecture on the web page. In addition, I will post in and out of class exercise protocols and any photographs from class trips.
Course description:
Evolutionary biology will encompass the study of the theories of evolution and natural selection. Course material will include adaptation, macroevolution, coevolution, population genetics, the phylogeny of life, speciation and extinction. This course has no lab, however, a number of computer simulations and in-class exercises will be used to clarify lecture points. A trip will be made to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History during the semester.
Prerequisite: BIO 112 and one 200 level biology course.
Goals:
1. To familiarize the students with the major tenets of evolution, including the processes of natural selection, adaptation, speciation, the reconstruction of phylogeny, macroevolution, coevolution and extinction.
2. To increase the student's understanding of evolutionary principles through the collection and analysis of data from classroom exercises and computer programs which simulate aspects of the process of evolution.
Objectives:
1. To introduce the students to the theories of evolution and natural selection and to illustrate the evidence revealed by the adaptations of organisms that supports these theories.
2. To describe alternative theories for the diversity of life on Earth and discuss how these theories compare to the theory of evolution.
3. To describe the reconstruction of the phylogeny of living organisms and illustrate what role the fossil record plays in this reconstruction.
4. To explain the basics of Mendelian genetics and the importance of heredity of traits to the theory of evolution.
5. To describe population genetics, and the effects of selection and random factors, (genetic drift) on the evolution of populations.
6. To discuss the concept of macroevolution and the role it has played in the evolution of the major taxa on Earth.
7. To discuss several theories on the rate of evolution.
8. To describe the concept of a species and how the process of speciation fits into the theory of evolution.
9. To describe the concept of coevolution and how this concept is related to the process of extinction.
10. To use in-class exercises, computer simulations and analysis of science fiction films to further the student's understanding of the tenets of evolution.
The course grade will be determined from 3 exams, a cumulative final exam, chapter study questions, class participation, and a computer simulation and in-class projects grade. The material covered on each of the exams is listed on the lecture schedule, and exams will be primarily short answer and essay in nature. Exams must be taken at their scheduled times. Make-up exams must be taken within one week of the missed exam and will only be given if there is a valid, documented excuse (extreme illness accompanied by a physician's note). If you know that you have a conflict with a scheduled exam, the instructor must be notified at least one week in advance.
Failure to receive a passing grade (60 or greater) on at least one of the four exams will result in failure of the class, regardless of the remaining grades.
Study questions (found in the text at the end of each chapter) have been assigned for most chapters. Brief answers to each question assigned must be submitted via e-mail to Prof. Connaughton prior to the beginning of class on the day that we will be covering that chapter. The answers should be typed in a word processing package and sent via Blitzmail as an enclosure. Do not use macros when typing your answers, as it can make the file difficult for me to open. Save the file to be enclosed in your Blitzmail to me as 415yourlastname, and title your e-mail 415 - Ch ##.
Grade breakdown
Exam 1 15%
Exam 2 15%
Exam 3 15%
Final Exam 20%
Reading homework/quizzes 10%
Simulations/class projects 25%
Honor code:
The Honor Code policy of Washington College is supported in BIO 415 and will be enforced if necessary. Students are expected to write and sign a brief statement of the honor code at the top of all exams and written works.
Attendance at lecture is required and will be checked. It is important to understand the facts and concepts from each lecture in order to be adequately prepared for the following lecture. More than three unexcused absences will result in a 10% reduction the final course grade.
Any student late to class twice will lose one of their three 'free' unexcused absences. This will continue until, if need be, the student's grade is reduced, as in the case of three unexcused absences from class. Being late for lab is equivalent to being late for class and will count in the reduction of 'free' lecture absences.
Any student on Academic or Continued Probation must abide by college policy and be present at ALL classes. Any unexcused absences will be reported to the Assistant Dean's Office.
| Date | Topic | Readings/Assignments |
| Aug. 30 | Introductory icebreaker class exercise | A: Answer questions from exercise. |
| Sept. 1 | Syllabus/ Discuss exercise results /Introduction to evolution |
R: Chapter 1.1, 1.2, Q: 1.1 D: Questions from icebreaker exercise |
| Sept. 3 | History of evolutionary theory | R: Chapter 1.3, 3.1, Q: 1.2-1.4 |
| Sept. 6 | Evidence for evolution | R: Chapter 3, Q: 3.3, 3.5 (3 schemes for 1 set of objects), 3.6 |
| Sept. 8 | SimLife tutorial I - SPLAT | |
| Sept. 10 | SimLife tutorial II - run/discuss SPLAT | A: Natural Selection Sim 1 |
| Sept. 13 | Natural selection and variation I |
R: Chapter 4 A: Natural Selection Sim 2 D: Natural Selection Sim 1 |
| Sept. 15 | Natural selection and variation II |
A: Natural Selection Sim 3 D: Natural Selection Sim 2 |
| Sept. 17 | Molecular and Mendelian genetics |
R: Chapter 2, Q: 2 (i, ii, iii) D: Natural Selection Sim 3 |
| Sept. 20 | Population genetics (Hardy-Weinberg theory) | R: Chapter 5 |
| Sept. 22 | Genetic drift/neutral drift | R: Chapter 6 |
| Sept. 24 | Exam 1 | Chapters 1-6 |
| Sept. 27 | Unit of selection | R: Chapter 12, Q: 12.1 |
| Sept. 29 | Adaptation I | R: Chapter 13, Q: 13.2 |
| Oct. 1 | Adaptation II | |
| Oct. 4 | Why sex? | R: Chapter 11, Q: 11.1 |
| Oct. 6 | Sexual selection |
Q:11.4, 11.5 A: Sex ratio Sim |
| Oct. 8 | Sex ratio | D: Sex ratio Sim, Q: 11.6 |
| Oct. 11 | Classification and systematics | R: Chapter 14, Q: 14.1, 14.2, 14.7 |
| Oct. 13 | The idea of species | R: Chapter 15, Q: 15.3, 15.6 |
| Oct. 15 | Fall break - no class | |
| Oct. 18 | Speciation | R: Chapter 16, Q: 16.1, 16.2, 16.3 |
| Oct. 20 | Exam 2 | Chapters 11-16 |
| Oct. 22 | Reconstruction of phylogeny | R: Chapter 17.1-17.12, 17.16, Q: 17.5, 17.8 |
| Oct. 25 | Advising day - no class | |
| Oct. 27 | Phylogeny class exercise | |
| Oct. 29 | MacClade phylogenetic software tutorial |
D: Results from phylogeny game A: MacClade assignment |
| Nov. 1 | Plate tectonics & biogeography |
R: Chapter 18, Q: 18.3, 18.4 D: MacClade assignment |
| Nov. 3 | Fossil formation and dating | R: Chapter 19 |
| Nov. 5 | Fossil/plate tectonics class exercise | A: Determine course of plate tectonics on a fabricated planet |
| Nov. 8 | Rates of evolution |
R: Chapter 20 D: Plate tectonics exercise |
| Nov. 10 | Punctuated evolution vs. gradualism | |
| Nov. 12 | Macroevolutionary change I | R: Chapter 21, Q: 21.1, 21.3 |
| Nov. 15 | Macroevolutionary change II | Q: 21.4, 21.6 |
| Nov. 17 | Exam 3 | Chapter 17-21 |
| Nov. 19 | Coevolution | R: Chapter 22, Q: 22.1, 22.2 |
| Nov. 22 | Escalation & progress |
Q: 22.3 A: Debate team assignments |
| Nov. 24 | Coevolution & extinction |
Q: 22.4, 22.5 A: Briefly research extinction of dinosaurs A: Extinction Sim |
| Nov. 26 | Thanksgiving Break - No Class | |
| Nov. 29 | Extinction |
R: Chapter 23, Q: 23.2, 23.4(a), 23.5, 23.6 D: Extinction Sim |
| Dec. 1 | Discuss extinction simulation & extinction of dinosaurs |
D: Brief report on extinction of dinosaurs A: Movie case studies |
| Dec. 3 | Smithsonian trip | |
| Dec. 6 | Debate: creationism debate or a debate over whether evolution is progressive. | D: Present a case for one side or the other. |
| Dec. 8 | Evolution and the movies | D: Present and discuss movie case studies |
| Dec. 10 | Evolution and the movies | D: Present and discuss movie case studies |
| TBA | Final Exam (40% new material, 60% cumulative) | New material: Chapters 22 & 23 |
Key: R: Readings in Ridley, "Evolution"
Q: Chapter questions to have answered by this class (I reserve the right to change or add to these during the semester)
A: Assignment for a future class
D: Assignments (other than chapter questions) due during this